A Homeowner's Guide to a WaterSmart Landscape

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case study - plants Botanical Name Vines Lonicera hispidula var. vacillans Aristolochia californica Common Name Pink Wild Honeysuckle California Pipe Vine Groundcovers Erigeron karvinskianus Santa Barbara Daisy Succulents Agave vilmoriniana Octopus Agave Aquatics Hibiscus californicus (H. lasiocarpus) Helianthus angustifolius Mimulus guttatus Sisyrinchium bellum Carex divulsa (C. tumulicola) Carex glauca (syn. C. flacca) Juncus patens Chondropetalum tectorum California Hibiscus Swamp Sunflower Yellow Monkey Flower Blue-Eyed Grass Eurasian Grey Sedge Blue Sedge California Grey Rush Cape Rush | step 4 Aristolochia californica California Pipe Vine Helianthus angustifolius Swamp Sunflower 16
planting design tips continued Plant placement. Typically a planting design will include a tree or two to provide a shade canopy. Placing a deciduous tree on the south or west side of the home will shade the house during the summer to keep it cool and allow more light and sun exposure in the winter www.sactree.com. Shrub and groundcover planting is typically designed with a variety of heights. Usually medium size (3 to 4 feet tall) shrubs are placed closer to the house to create a “foundation” or back drop. Lower shrubs are then placed in front of the foundation planting and low groundcovers in the area closest to the sidewalk or street. Accent shrubs that provide a special texture, color or flowers should be placed so they attract interest and focus views on a few locations in the landscape. Try to highlight your entrance walk with special accent plants. This places a higher emphasis on your entry, which is where you want to direct visitors. Be bold and have fun, don’t be afraid to express your individual tastes. Water features and higher water-use plants in the garden. Water has been a precious resource throughout history in arid regions of the world. This perspective has been integrated into modern water-efficient landscapes by utilizing extra water only in focal areas that are considered to be most important. Since the sound of water is pleasant and calming, water features can be a desirable element to include in your design, and can provide a water source for bees, birds, and other wildlife. The surface area of a pond or fountain will lose water at about the same rate as cool season turf grass or another high water-use plant. By minimizing the square footage of open water and using a recirculating pump, a water feature can be incorporated into the WaterSmart landscape. If you have some higher water-use plants that you particularly want to include, they can be used. As a general rule, your landscape should include no more than ten percent high water-use plants or water features. Be sure that higher water-use plants are watered on a separate irrigation valve, independent from other less thirsty plants in the landscape. The Sacramento region has exceptional resources for WaterSmart landscapes and outdoor water conservation: • Water-Wise Gardening in the Gold Country Region • EcoLandscape California • BeWaterSmart.info • UC Cooperative Extension | step 4 17
Page 1 and 2: A Homeowner’s Guide to a WaterSma
Page 3 and 4: getting started A Step-by-Step Proc
Page 5 and 6: What WaterSmart is a Landscape? A W
Page 7 and 8: 4 design your WaterSmart landscape
Page 9 and 10: step 2 identify your landscape Goal
Page 11 and 12: case study - from turf to WaterSmar
Page 13 and 14: step 4 layout design your WaterSmar
Page 15: case study - plants Botanical Name
Page 19 and 20: Wholesome Habitat Theme “Low” a
Page 21 and 22: irrigation design Start by reviewin
Page 23 and 24: case study - project costs MARY’S
Page 25 and 26: It was challenging for Soleil becau
Page 27 and 28: case study - installation Sacrament
Page 29 and 30: TREE PLANTING #5 or #15 size contai
Page 31 and 32: Weed smart. Manage weeds naturally
Page 33 and 34: Review of the steps to a WaterSmart
Page 35 and 36: appendix a resources related to out
Page 37 and 38: appendix c definitions Backflow pre
Page 39 and 40: appendix d average precipitation ra
Page 41 and 42: appendix F WaterSmart plant list Th
Page 43 and 44: BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME WUCOLS C
Page 54 and 55: notes
Page 56: www.BeWaterSmart.info This guide is

A Homeowner's Guide to a WaterSmart Landscape

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